Easy Vegan Raspberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Bursting with fresh raspberries and topped with a deliciously sweet streusel crumble, these vegan raspberry muffins are the perfect summertime treat. Light, fluffy, and moist, they're ideal for breakfast, dessert, or even a mid-afternoon snack.

Sweet, juicy, and beautifully vibrant, there's nothing quite like fresh raspberries. Come mid to late summer, raspberries are beginning to ripen, dotting lush, green bushes with colorful ruby red gems.

While I love all berries, there is just something magical about the flavor of raspberries. Mostly sweet, but slightly tart, raspberries lend themselves wonderfully to all kinds of desserts and baked goods. All summer long, I look for any excuse to bake with raspberries.

If you're lucky, you have fresh raspberries growing right in your own backyard. I just recently planted a few bushes in my own yard, which will hopefully begin producing fruit next summer.

However, if you don't have raspberry bushes, don't fret! You can still enjoy the freshest, juiciest raspberries summer has to offer. Look for a local pick-your-own raspberry farm, check out your local farmers' market, or see if you can sign up for a CSA in your area.

Otherwise, you can always grab fresh raspberries at your local grocery store. And if it's not raspberry season in your area, I recommend reaching for frozen raspberries instead.

So, if you're excited to start baking with delicious, fresh, and in-season raspberries, keep reading to learn how to make these scrumptious vegan raspberry muffins.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Easy to Make- No stand mixer required! All you need to make these vegan muffins is a few mixing bowls and a whisk. You'll be amazed at how quickly they come together.
• Vegan- No eggs, no butter, no milk? No problem! These vegan raspberry muffins make use of a few dairy-free alternatives and the gelling properties of flaxseed to create a tender, moist raspberry muffin. No one will ever guess they're vegan.
• Delicious Summery Flavor- What's more summery than sweet raspberries and a little pop of fresh, citrusy lemon flavor? While these muffins are predominately raspberry flavored, I couldn't help but add a touch of lemon zest to brighten them up.

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Fresh Raspberries- Berry season in Massachusetts comes and goes in the blink of an eye. So, I love using fresh raspberries any chance I get during the summer. For the freshest berries, try picking some up at your local farmers' market.
• Lemon Zest- I have a love affair with lemon zest. It pairs so well with the flavor of the raspberries, adding a wonderfully bright, citrusy note.
• Baking Powder- As the leavening agent, the baking powder is what helps these muffins rise. Since the batter does not contain an acidic ingredient, baking powder is used over baking soda. The baking powder helps to make these muffins light and fluffy.
• Ground Flaxseed- Flaxseed, when ground, can be mixed with water and used as an egg substitute. The soluble fiber in flaxseed absorbs water, giving it a gel-like consistency after a few minutes. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2 ½ tablespoons of water to make one flax egg.
• Dairy-Free Milk- While any dairy-free milk will work, just make sure you choose an unsweetened variety. I typically use almond milk or oat milk, but soy, hemp, rice, coconut, or cashew milk should all work as well.
• Dairy-Free Stick Butter- I like to use stick butter because it's easier to measure and cut into the streusel mixture. Don't forget to bring the butter to room temperature before trying to mix it with the flour and sugar.

Quick Tip: Remove any dirt, debris, and pesticides from your raspberries by giving them a soak in a vinegar solution. Mix 3 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and soak the berries for 5-10 minutes. Then, rinse thoroughly with fresh water and pat dry.

Step by Step Instructions

Here is how to make these vegan raspberry muffins.

Step 1: Make the streusel topping. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a muffin tin with liners or spray with cooking spray and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Using your fingertips, cut in the dairy-free butter until the flour and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the raspberry muffins. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the prepared flax egg, dairy-free milk, canola oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Carefully fold in the fresh raspberries.

Step 3: Bake the muffins. Top each muffin with streusel crumble and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Step 4: Make the lemon glaze (optional). In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Drizzle over the warm muffins and serve immediately.

Quick Baking Tips

• Get the streusel crumble ready first. Once you mix the wet and dry ingredients together, you activate the baking powder. Therefore, we want to be quick about getting the muffins in the oven so that we don't waste any of the leavening power. Having the streusel ready ahead of time means you can get the muffins in the oven ASAP.
• Measure flour by weight. Flour can be tricky to measure by volume (cups) because of its ability to compact. Measuring the flour by weight (grams) allows you to be more precise so that you don't end up with dry muffins.
• Ensure raspberries are distributed evenly. The first time I made these vegan raspberry muffins, I didn't pay attention to the raspberries in the batter. By the time I was filling the last muffin cup, I had run out of raspberries. I recommend putting at least 3 raspberries in every cup, then filling the cups with the remaining batter.
• Be careful not to over-mix. Just like other quick breads, it's important not to overwork the batter. Mixing too much will result in tough, dense muffins. For tender muffins, I recommend mixing until the flour is just barely incorporated. Then, gently fold in the raspberries.

Substitutions and Additions

Here are a few ways you can make these vegan raspberry muffins fit your diet and taste preferences.

Substitutions

• All-Purpose Flour- While I didn't test this recipe with whole wheat flour, you can try swapping one-quarter to one-half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat or white whole wheat flour. You can also use a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
• Canola Oil- Any neutral-flavored oil will work well in these muffins. Try replacing the canola oil with vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or safflower oil. You could also replace the ½ cup of oil with ⅔ cup of butter if you don't need this recipe to be vegan.
• Flax Egg- Whole or ground chia seeds work in a similar fashion to flaxseed when mixed with water. If you don't need egg-free muffins, you can always use two eggs in this recipe instead of the flax eggs.
• Dairy-Free Milk- While I used almond milk to make these, any dairy-free milk will work. You could also use cow's milk if you're not worried about keeping these muffins dairy-free. Lemon juice would be delicious as well and turn these into lemon-raspberry muffins.
• Vanilla Extract- Try almond or lemon extract instead for a fun twist!
• Lemon Zest- You can leave the lemon zest out entirely if you don't have a lemon on hand. You could also try using orange zest or lime zest.
• Raspberries- While these wouldn't be raspberry muffins without raspberries, you could add in some blueberries or blackberries to make mixed berry muffins. Or swap the raspberries out for a different berry altogether. Frozen raspberries can also be used.

Additions

• Chocolate Chips- A little extra sweetness never hurt anyone. Look for a vegan chocolate chip brand such as Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips.
• Other Berries- The more berries, the merrier. Add in a few blackberries, blueberries, or diced strawberries.
• Warm Spices- A few sprinkles of ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg would give these muffins a warm, cozy vibe.
• Slivered Almonds- Add a bit of crunch with a few tablespoons of slivered almonds.

Storage and Freezing

• Store- Muffins containing fresh fruit generally only last 2-3 days stored at room temperature on the countertop. Store the muffins in an airtight container to keep them fresh. While you technically can store muffins in the refrigerator, doing so will turn them stale and dry.
• Freeze- If you need to extend their shelf-life, muffins actually freeze exceptionally well. Simply allow the muffins to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Muffins will maintain their quality in the freezer for approximately 3 months.
• How to Thaw- When you're ready to enjoy a scrumptious muffin from your freezer, remove it and allow it to thaw on the counter for 2-3 hours. Alternatively, you can microwave the frozen muffin for 30-45 seconds if you're in a hurry.

Frequently Asked Questions

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